Coronavirus: University of Dayton will resume in-person classes for fall semester

DAYTON — The University of Dayton campus will be open and many classes will meet in person for the fall semester, but all courses will be prepared for “flexible course delivery” because of uncertainty about the coronavirus pandemic and the expectations of public health officials.

That is one of the preliminary recommendations arising from the “UD Path Forward Task Force” working groups that have been meeting about UD’s response to the pandemic, university officials said Thursday afternoon. The working groups released summaries of their work so far and faculty, staff and students are being given the opportunity to submit feedback on the draft plans.

“Following this period of feedback, we expect to offer more finalized plans for the fall sometime in July, with the understanding a shift in the national or local health landscape might necessitate further adaption,” university officials said.

“The University of Dayton has made bringing students back to campus this fall our highest priority," President Eric Spina said in a prepared statement.

"Nearly 100 members of the University of Dayton campus community — faculty, staff and students — are tirelessly working together and with outside experts, including public health officials and a panel of medical and public health experts, to form plans for how we can safely welcome students back to campus.

"We expect to have more definitive plans next month to share. I truly believe if our community makes a mutual commitment to each other, follows recommendations of public health officials and medical experts, remains flexible, and grants each other grace, we can safely and successfully return to learn, live and work together in community this fall.”

Other preliminary recommendations from the working groups include the following:

• Undergraduate students will begin classes Monday, Aug. 24, depart campus at Thanksgiving, and complete the semester online, without the typical fall break.
• Fall move-in will occur during the first three weeks of August. 
• Specific areas of campus housing will be set aside for students who are at high risk; who need to self-isolate because of a positive COVID-19 test or symptoms; or who need to quarantine because of exposure to someone who tests positive.
• A robust plan to test, monitor and contain cases of COVID-19 will be put into place. This will include testing all faculty, staff and students initially on campus and as symptoms warrant during the semester.
• Faculty, staff, students and visitors will be expected to wear face coverings in shared indoor environments and will be expected to maintain 6-foot social distancing requirements, except when students are in their residential household groups.

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